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Inside Intelligence
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
April 12, 2023
A glimpse of what goes on and how it goes on inside ‘Intelligence’ (the business of intelligence gathering) by a man who spent most of his life inside ‘Intelligence’ (The Secret Intelligence Service).
No heart pounding, clandestine operations. No assassins. No death defying encounters. More an office worker: reading, commenting, filing, meeting, discussing, agreeing or disagreeing.
Well worth reading.
No heart pounding, clandestine operations. No assassins. No death defying encounters. More an office worker: reading, commenting, filing, meeting, discussing, agreeing or disagreeing.
Well worth reading.
July 4, 2025
A good look at how things are inside MI6; along with a good insight into the type of people that the service attracts.
June 4, 2023
It does what it says on the tin (cover). With this you go inside the intelligence agency (MI6).
Part autobiography and part this was the job and how we 'all' (the other bits within the 'org') went about our day.
It took me an age to read, because I kept going back and reading it again, (I’m not the sharpest knife in the drawer), but also, there is so much new (new to me) information in here and I found it a mite difficult to keep it all in my head as I read further.
You get to know what 'Production' do and what 'Requirements' get up to. These are roles that need explaining to those of us that have no idea. There’s lots more too, about how it all works.
In the book ‘A Chosen Path’, by Ben Carlyle, there is mention of ‘Production’ and their ways of going about their business, without explanation of exactly where that department, section, branch, fits in with the rest. I doubt (I’m only guessing) it would be difficult in a novel to explain that without turning the thing into a lecture. Of course, it works in this book: it’s not a novel.
I found this to be riveting. I kept it under my pillow ‘cause’ I’d lie awake thinking about what I’d just read and have to get it back and have a squint at stuff to put my mind at rest.
John said to me, “This is the benchmark to put against all else you read in the spy genre, both fiction and non-fiction.”
Thank you John for the tip.
Part autobiography and part this was the job and how we 'all' (the other bits within the 'org') went about our day.
It took me an age to read, because I kept going back and reading it again, (I’m not the sharpest knife in the drawer), but also, there is so much new (new to me) information in here and I found it a mite difficult to keep it all in my head as I read further.
You get to know what 'Production' do and what 'Requirements' get up to. These are roles that need explaining to those of us that have no idea. There’s lots more too, about how it all works.
In the book ‘A Chosen Path’, by Ben Carlyle, there is mention of ‘Production’ and their ways of going about their business, without explanation of exactly where that department, section, branch, fits in with the rest. I doubt (I’m only guessing) it would be difficult in a novel to explain that without turning the thing into a lecture. Of course, it works in this book: it’s not a novel.
I found this to be riveting. I kept it under my pillow ‘cause’ I’d lie awake thinking about what I’d just read and have to get it back and have a squint at stuff to put my mind at rest.
John said to me, “This is the benchmark to put against all else you read in the spy genre, both fiction and non-fiction.”
Thank you John for the tip.
April 16, 2025
At peek at the day to day running and the day to day people of MI6. Some of them from an average background. Some from an elite and financially secure background. backs up all I've been told about 'The Club'.
December 13, 2025
For a short time, I had a niggling sense of being unsatisfied. I soon realised I was being a silly girl and shrugged it off. My brain, like a good few others, still has that little worm in there chomping on the 007 drama when it comes to being a spy.
This is good. I think it's all real: no fiction in here. And what matters to me is that, I see the author as a most decent, loyal, honourable chap.
This is good. I think it's all real: no fiction in here. And what matters to me is that, I see the author as a most decent, loyal, honourable chap.
March 17, 2025
I read this twice. It's a must for anyone interested in the world of spying.
September 8, 2025
I'd wager this is a candid insight into the workings, the culture and the politics of the intelligence community.
Life as an intelligence officer in the field is, it would seem, mostly dull and ordinary. I admire those who are loyal to their employer and their friends. I admire Mr Cavendish.
Life as an intelligence officer in the field is, it would seem, mostly dull and ordinary. I admire those who are loyal to their employer and their friends. I admire Mr Cavendish.
July 27, 2024
I found this to be totally absorbing. The day to day work of an intelligence officer (a spy) made plain for the reader: a first for me.
Along with this, the reader is given a glimpse of the internal politics and grievances that exist within all organisations.
I recommend this: a not to be missed read.
Along with this, the reader is given a glimpse of the internal politics and grievances that exist within all organisations.
I recommend this: a not to be missed read.
August 21, 2023
I always wondered what 'they' did in 'the real world'.
Pretty humdrum stuff, mostly - but still on the scary side for us ordinary folk.
I am so glad I read this.
Pretty humdrum stuff, mostly - but still on the scary side for us ordinary folk.
I am so glad I read this.
May 3, 2022
An absorbing and informative eye-opener from a real-life, bonafide, spy. It exudes authenticity and encapsulates life within the modern-day, intelligence gathering fraternity.
You'll not find page after page of adrenaline fuelled encounters and this is the bench mark that I have now set against all the 'spy fiction' I have read and will read. I do so wish I had read this many, many years ago.
I can imagine that life for the source (the person stealing and passing on the information - the actual spy) must be fear-filled; and for the spy's handler/courier, in hostile states, it would be somewhat testing; but the majority of the work done by officers employed within the intelligence community is for most, for the better-part of the time, pretty hum-drum. Office people, in office dress, collating and analysing information, estimating and predicting outcomes, much in the same way as the insurance/assurance industry; which I suppose that is essentially the industry the intelligence community are in: attempting to insure and assure the nation is protected. All of this supports what I was told of MI-6 when I was a mere pay-clerk in the British Army.
The procedural side of gathering the information and turning it into useful intelligence is most fascinating: companies, in this case MI-6, have customers. For MI-6 they have but one: the Foreign Office. Customers, in all industry, prefer the products they buy to be packaged in a set format and not just dumped at their door in an ad-hoc fashion. The customer has a requirement. The customer will talk with their chosen supplier detailing their demands. It is then the supplier's responsibility to provide for the customer in a fashion the customer is willing to accept.
I agree with Rob Hudson, in his review: logic suggests that a request (a requirement) from the customer will lead to an analysis of what intelligence already exists within the registry, if more is required production will be asked to satisfy that need.
Of course, and this must be where we can imagine exciting spy stories emanate from, there must be times when the company has its own requirement and is driven to fulfilling that demand. Which is why MI-6 have such a vast registry, full of documents that researchers and analysts can pore over for hour after hour; and why MI-6 would cherish the thought of increasing their stash of documents. And why when an intelligence officer, from a hostile state, wanders into the British Embassy (as has been done on more than one occasion) and says, "I have got news for you." The British will leap at the opportunity and if it turns out that the news (state secrets) are hidden away and someone will need to go get them; the Secret Intelligence Service might just chance their arm.
I found this to be truly captivating: it tells you of the day-to-day life of MI-6, with all the run-of-mill in-house politics. But also, it tempts you into the idea of how there are occasions when things might become a little more risky.
You'll not find page after page of adrenaline fuelled encounters and this is the bench mark that I have now set against all the 'spy fiction' I have read and will read. I do so wish I had read this many, many years ago.
I can imagine that life for the source (the person stealing and passing on the information - the actual spy) must be fear-filled; and for the spy's handler/courier, in hostile states, it would be somewhat testing; but the majority of the work done by officers employed within the intelligence community is for most, for the better-part of the time, pretty hum-drum. Office people, in office dress, collating and analysing information, estimating and predicting outcomes, much in the same way as the insurance/assurance industry; which I suppose that is essentially the industry the intelligence community are in: attempting to insure and assure the nation is protected. All of this supports what I was told of MI-6 when I was a mere pay-clerk in the British Army.
The procedural side of gathering the information and turning it into useful intelligence is most fascinating: companies, in this case MI-6, have customers. For MI-6 they have but one: the Foreign Office. Customers, in all industry, prefer the products they buy to be packaged in a set format and not just dumped at their door in an ad-hoc fashion. The customer has a requirement. The customer will talk with their chosen supplier detailing their demands. It is then the supplier's responsibility to provide for the customer in a fashion the customer is willing to accept.
I agree with Rob Hudson, in his review: logic suggests that a request (a requirement) from the customer will lead to an analysis of what intelligence already exists within the registry, if more is required production will be asked to satisfy that need.
Of course, and this must be where we can imagine exciting spy stories emanate from, there must be times when the company has its own requirement and is driven to fulfilling that demand. Which is why MI-6 have such a vast registry, full of documents that researchers and analysts can pore over for hour after hour; and why MI-6 would cherish the thought of increasing their stash of documents. And why when an intelligence officer, from a hostile state, wanders into the British Embassy (as has been done on more than one occasion) and says, "I have got news for you." The British will leap at the opportunity and if it turns out that the news (state secrets) are hidden away and someone will need to go get them; the Secret Intelligence Service might just chance their arm.
I found this to be truly captivating: it tells you of the day-to-day life of MI-6, with all the run-of-mill in-house politics. But also, it tempts you into the idea of how there are occasions when things might become a little more risky.
July 25, 2022
First: I didn't find this an easy read, I think because the subject matter is so intense.
WARNING: do not read this whilst the roast is in the oven.
LEARNING POINT: If you're going to, have an alarm set.
He, who shares this house, and the roasts I cook, will make sure I never live that down.
I took lots of notes that I think did help; however, I was forever going back to re-read stuff. I then made a note of the re-read and the page number.
This is 'real-life' intelligence work and it junks everything I've ever read on that subject from the fiction department. It suggests intelligence work is mundane and office orientated, apart from the occasional burst of adrenaline.
My father said that about being at war: ninety percent utter boredom and ten percent utterly s..t scared.
WARNING: do not read this whilst the roast is in the oven.
LEARNING POINT: If you're going to, have an alarm set.
He, who shares this house, and the roasts I cook, will make sure I never live that down.
I took lots of notes that I think did help; however, I was forever going back to re-read stuff. I then made a note of the re-read and the page number.
This is 'real-life' intelligence work and it junks everything I've ever read on that subject from the fiction department. It suggests intelligence work is mundane and office orientated, apart from the occasional burst of adrenaline.
My father said that about being at war: ninety percent utter boredom and ten percent utterly s..t scared.
August 21, 2025
Ohh, how I enjoyed this. A sneaky look at the world of spying. The author gives an insight into things:
the world of gathering secret information from those willing to give it/sell it,
how the information is handled and turned into verified intelligence
the loyalty intelligence officers are able to show to their peers/friends.
Politics, they say, is a dirty game; it would seem that organisations aligned to the political world can also be as dirty. I might be wrong, but I have an inkling that we are given a chance to read between the lines - there are some within the intelligence world who are prepared to commit their personal time, influence, wealth and position when they believe a wrong has been done.
I must say, "I admire the author. He's my cup of tea."
the world of gathering secret information from those willing to give it/sell it,
how the information is handled and turned into verified intelligence
the loyalty intelligence officers are able to show to their peers/friends.
Politics, they say, is a dirty game; it would seem that organisations aligned to the political world can also be as dirty. I might be wrong, but I have an inkling that we are given a chance to read between the lines - there are some within the intelligence world who are prepared to commit their personal time, influence, wealth and position when they believe a wrong has been done.
I must say, "I admire the author. He's my cup of tea."
May 18, 2021
The author states, “This book is written for two reasons: to protect the reputation of his true friend, Maurice Oldfield (former Head of MI 6), and for the author’s children.
Oldfield was dealt a raw deal, we’re told. And, if we accept the author’s account, then, yes, he was.
This is the memoir of a man who served as an intelligence officer with MI 6. It’s candid and I believe of great value, public interest and does not damage, directly or indirectly, our national security or the work of our secret agencies.
I first read this in 2001 and have blown the dust from the covers as a result of a comment I made to Mary regarding her review of ‘The Yalta Conference: The History of the Allied Meeting that Shaped the Fate of Europe after World War II’. A comment that I can now say was way off mark; then, 20 years is a long time. I’m sorry to say, there is nothing referencing the ‘daily Whitehall scare’ of ‘Reds at the door’.
Page 1 of Chapter One, is most telling. Not to be divulged by me, but for those inclined to understand Britain’s secret services, this is an appetizer and should be read before one reads, ‘Defending the Realm’.
It is what it says on the front cover: a peek inside intelligence, how they work, what lengths they do go to. Surprisingly, the same-old-same-old, personal vendettas, prejudices and politics that you’ll find in any big corporation; something one would hope these people would be above. Alas, they are not.
As a note for Mary: on page 50, there is reference to underground resistance movements working within Soviet Russia.
Oldfield was dealt a raw deal, we’re told. And, if we accept the author’s account, then, yes, he was.
This is the memoir of a man who served as an intelligence officer with MI 6. It’s candid and I believe of great value, public interest and does not damage, directly or indirectly, our national security or the work of our secret agencies.
I first read this in 2001 and have blown the dust from the covers as a result of a comment I made to Mary regarding her review of ‘The Yalta Conference: The History of the Allied Meeting that Shaped the Fate of Europe after World War II’. A comment that I can now say was way off mark; then, 20 years is a long time. I’m sorry to say, there is nothing referencing the ‘daily Whitehall scare’ of ‘Reds at the door’.
Page 1 of Chapter One, is most telling. Not to be divulged by me, but for those inclined to understand Britain’s secret services, this is an appetizer and should be read before one reads, ‘Defending the Realm’.
It is what it says on the front cover: a peek inside intelligence, how they work, what lengths they do go to. Surprisingly, the same-old-same-old, personal vendettas, prejudices and politics that you’ll find in any big corporation; something one would hope these people would be above. Alas, they are not.
As a note for Mary: on page 50, there is reference to underground resistance movements working within Soviet Russia.
March 22, 2022
Having read this years back, I picked it up once more after dwelling upon my reviews of ‘The Roads Chosen’ and ‘A Chosen Path’. I do get the feeling of Ben Carlyle, now or previously, having some involvement in intelligence work.
As said in my review of ‘A Chosen Path’, the author’s explanation of Production and Requirements is: ‘a request is made of Requirements, by a customer or realised from work within MI-6. Analysis then look at the available intelligence, and if they believe more information is needed they call upon records and research to fulfil that request - if the request cannot be fulfilled, requirements call upon production, asking them to seek information from their sources.’ Maybe I’m reading a little more into it, but that makes sense to me.
Without doubt Anthony Cavendish was an Intelligence Officer with SIS, yet his explanation of Production and Requirements in this telling is quite different to that of Carlyle's and does not seem too logical to me; maybe I’m not reading that too well. If anyone has read both these books and would care to comment, I would value their opinion.
It is a good read and does give an understanding of what goes on in MI-6. It does help you, when reading fiction, to separate the wheat from the chaff.
There is no doubt, with all their imperfections, these folk do deserve our utmost respect.
As said in my review of ‘A Chosen Path’, the author’s explanation of Production and Requirements is: ‘a request is made of Requirements, by a customer or realised from work within MI-6. Analysis then look at the available intelligence, and if they believe more information is needed they call upon records and research to fulfil that request - if the request cannot be fulfilled, requirements call upon production, asking them to seek information from their sources.’ Maybe I’m reading a little more into it, but that makes sense to me.
Without doubt Anthony Cavendish was an Intelligence Officer with SIS, yet his explanation of Production and Requirements in this telling is quite different to that of Carlyle's and does not seem too logical to me; maybe I’m not reading that too well. If anyone has read both these books and would care to comment, I would value their opinion.
It is a good read and does give an understanding of what goes on in MI-6. It does help you, when reading fiction, to separate the wheat from the chaff.
There is no doubt, with all their imperfections, these folk do deserve our utmost respect.
October 2, 2025
A book in honour of the author's friend and boss.
It's a book about spies and so..... no, there are no guns, fist-fights, assassinations in the street. It's quite lovely to think of how they go about their business in a polite and respectful manner.
It's a book about spies and so..... no, there are no guns, fist-fights, assassinations in the street. It's quite lovely to think of how they go about their business in a polite and respectful manner.
May 11, 2024
The reality of spying. Nothing too exciting. Nothing world changing. The day-to-day job of intelligence gathering. Brilliant and so worth reading.
October 17, 2025
I am sure this is a true account of his life in the shadows. I like him a lot. He's a nice man.
May 12, 2024
I'm so glad I read this. From now, I will judge all of my spy novel reading against this.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews